Preserving Fall Leaves, Part 2

Last week I wrote about preserving fall leaves by drying them between the pages of a book.  Another way to preserve leaves is to soak them in glycerine. This will keep the leaves moist, colorful and less crumbly than drying them, and they may last for years.

In a shallow pan, I mixed a solution of one part glycerin and two parts water.  You just need enough to cover the leaves completely. Lay the leaves in the pan, and weight them down with another, slightly smaller pan to hold them down flat in the solution.

I checked on the leaves after about three days, but they were still dry, so I left them in for another three days.  Once they are soft and pliable, you can take them out and gently wipe them dry with a paper towel. 

I understand that some leaves don't do well for this method of preservation, so you may need to collect a variety, to ensure good results. Look for spotting or drastic changes in color, and remove those leaves from the solution.

Glycerine is rather hard to find in stores any more, but check at drug stores, or craft stores.